DOCSLIB.ORG

King Vultures &Lpar;<I>Sarcoramphus Papa</I>&Rpar; Forage in Moriche

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

458 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS VOL. 39, NO. 4 j. RaptorRes. 39(4):458-461 ¸ 2005 The Raptor ResearchFoundation, Inc. KING VULTURES(SARCORAMPHUS PAPA) FORAGE IN MORICHE AND CUCURIT PALM STANDS MARSHA A. SCHLEE1 MusgumNational dZIistoire Naturelie, Dgpartement t•cologie etGestion dela Biodiversitg,USM 0305, CP 31 Mgnagene, 57 rue Cuvig 75231 Paris cedex05, France KEYWORDS: Kit'•gVulture,, Sarcoramphus papa; Mauritia batana). The moriche palms (Mauritia flexuosa)can be flexuosa;Attalea maripa palms;wedge-capped capuchin mon- found scatteredin the gallery forests or in stands (mor- keys;Cebus olivaceus;foraging association. ichales;see GonzftlezBoscfm 1987) in the seasonallyIn- undated areasof the valley.The morichefruits, 3-7 cm long, ovate to globular and having an oily mesocarp Feeding on palm fruit, particularly drupes of the Af- (Borgtoft Pedersenand Balslev1990), fall to the ground rican oil palm (Elaeisguineensis), has been documented when almost ripe and accumulate in the water among for severalOld World speciesof birds of prey (Thiollay fallen fronds and debris. Cucurit palms (Attaleamaripa = 1978, Barlow 2004). In the New World, fruits of the im- Maximilianaregia) occur as standswithin the gallery for- ported African oil palm havebeen consumedby the Tur- estson dry terrain. The fruits, ovate,5-7 cm long, are key Vulture (Cathartesaura ruficollis;Pinto 1965), Yellow- alsorich in oil (Braun 1997). The observationsreported headed Caracara (Milvago chimachima;Haverschmidt here took place during the rainy season,which lastsApril 1962), and BlackVulture (C0ragypsatratug Haverschmidt through October or November. The study periods (24 1947, Pinto 1965, Elias and Valencia 1982). Both vulture June-24 July 1994, 26 June-14 August 1995, 28 May-14 July 1996, 30 June-18 August 1997) were set up to co- species,as well as the Crested Caracara (Caracara cheri- incide with the fruiting seasonreported locallyfor both way), consume flesh of coconuts (Cocosnucifera; Hav- palm species.Observations were carried out daily, gen- erschmidt1947, Crafts 1968), and fruits of palms (Maur- erally from 0615-1900 H. The length of each monitoring ztzaflexuosa and Desmoncussp.) have been found in period (up to 5 hr) depended on weather,logistics, and stomach contents of the Black Caracara (Daptrius at• whether or not the King Vultures were present in the Haverschmidt 1962). American Black Vultures also feed valley.The number of sample daysfor each studyperiod on sweetpotatoes (McIlhenny 1945) and avocado(R6hl varied from 29-50 d, with the afternoon of arrival and 1949) when carrion is scarce,and Turkey Vultures ingest morning of departurebeing countedif observationswere leaves, seeds, and bark of cottonwood trees (Populus carried out (Table 1). I used 10X binoculars and ob- spp.), apparently as casting material (Davis 1983). No servedfrom outcropsand other high points. published data were found on ingestion of plant matter RESULTS by King Vultures (Sarcoramphuspapa), but residentsat Hato Las Nieves, Venezuela reported that the species In all four years,moriche and cucurit fruit production consumesfruits of the moriche (Mauritia flexuosa)and took place earlier than expected and little remained by cucurit (Attaleamaripa) palms when carrion is scarce(Y. mid-July.Both palm speciessuffered from drought in Carbonell and A. Mendoza pers. comm.). The observa- 1995 and 1996. A mean of 2.1 -+ 1.1 (SD) King Vultures tions reported in this paper were gathered in an attempt (range = 1-4) foraged in four different morichales (N to verify these claims. = 7 occurrences),and 3.4 _ 1.0 (range = 2-4) foraged (N = 7 occurrences)in two of the cucurit stands,pri- STUDY AREA AND METHODS marily during the 1994 and 1995 field seasons(Table 1). My observationswere part of a long-term study (1994- This activitywas most often carried out by two adults to- 2000) on the abundance, population structure, move- gether (N -- 5) or three adults and an immature (N = ment patterns, and foraging strategiesof King Vultures m the Serrania de la Cerbatana, Estado Bolivar, Venezue- 6), presumed to be the local birds. Eleven of the 14 oc- la The studywas conductedin the southeasternpart of currencestook place when the vultures had not fed on the massifat Hato Las Nieves (SabanaNueva: 6ø34'80"N, livestock carcasses(natural mortality, including jaguar 66ø12'17"W), a ranch located ca. 125 km south of Caicara [Pantheraonca] predation) or inedible parts of slaugh- del Orinoco. The valley of Las Nieves, ca. 20 km long tered animals for 2-3 wk. Four bouts in the cucurit stands (northwest-southeast)and 9 km wide, is dominated by (August 1995) followed presumed feeding on the re- lowland shrub savanna,mainly 220-260 m abovesea lev- mains of jaguar-killed native wildlife. el. The bordering mountainsreach elevationsof 1600 m On 27June 1994, at 0947 H, four AmericanBlack Vul- to the west and 1880 m to the north (Cerro de la Cer- tures flew from the western morichal. As I approached, I sighted an adult King Vulture perched low at the edge • Email address: [email protected] of the palm standand another adult on the ground near- DECEMBER 2005 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 459 Table 1. Mean number of King Vultures per studyperiod (1994-97) seen foraging in moriche and cucurit palm standsand number of occurrencesat Hato Las Nieves, Venezuela. Number of days the vultures fed on livestock carcassesand total daysof observationare given. NUMBER OF DAYS NUMBER OF FREQUENCY STUDY KING VULTURES LIVESTOCK PEmOD • +-- SD (RANGE) MOmCHE CUCUmT CARCASSES OBSERVATION 1994 2.2 +-- 1.0 (1--4) 3 3 15 29 1995 3.3 --+ 1.3 (1--4) 3 4 11 50 1996 3.0 + 0 (3) 1 0 26 48 1997 0 0 0 15 49 by at the base of the only fruiting moriche in the area. ed, I found severalfruits with the mesocarpwholly or This bird, with head down, just out of sight, seemed to partially scrapedoff. No carrion was present, but a me- be nibbling on something.When both birds flew to near- dium-sized savanna tortoise (Geochelonecarbonaria) was in by palms, I could see that their crops were extended. the area and could have been feeding on the fruits ear- Their flight attracted a Turkey Vulture that walked lien Later (1157 H), I locatedthe immaturebird feeding around the area but did not feed. At the site, I found at the base of another fruiting moriche. Again, the me- one unripe moriche fruit with half the mesocarpfreshly socarpon severalfruits had been freshly scrapedoff. No scrapedoff longitudinallyon one side, the marks clearly debris or carrion was found, and no live animals were imprinted on the nut, and a large piece of overripe me- nearby.I concluded that the King Vulture had eaten the socarpfrom another fruit. No debris, no carrion, and no pulp. Two dayslater, at 0740 H, an adult perched in the live animals were present. I concluded that the King Vul- gallery forest north of the central camp, and at 0913 H ture had consumedthe missingpulp, but this would not I found it foraging on the ground among the few palms explain crop extension. The next day after the rains that remained of a remnant morichal. No carrion was stopped (1620 H), I observed an adult sunning in the present. On 29 July 1995, 8 d after a carcasshad been main cucurit stand.As I penetrated into the gallery for- consumed, two adults suddenly flew up from one of the est, I came acrossanother King Vulture rummaging in gallery-forestfloors (1645 H) in an area that had fruiting the litter at the base of a cucurit palm. The debris con- moriche, but I was unable to investigatefurther. Then, rained no animal matter, only cucurit fruits, whole or rot- on 5-6 and 9-10 August 1995, three adults and an im- ting or partially eaten, piecesof mesocarp,and clean ker- mature, presumed to be the same birds as above, were nels. Several wedged-capped capuchin monkeys (Cebus sighted in a cucurit stand. Eight Turkey Vultures were ohvaceus)were in the stand. Two days later (30 June also present. The King Vultures perched within the up- 1994), two adults were observed in a morichal at ca. 1100 per strata of the canopy of the broad-leafedtrees, occa- H and in a cucurit stand in the afternoon, and the fol- sionallygoing to the top of the trees to sun or dry, and lowing day three adults and an immature were in the spent the mornings in the stand.A troop of ca. 30 wedge- same cucurit stand at mid-day. Capuchin monkeyswere capped capuchin monkeys,with many femalestransport- present both days.The last sightingin 1994 took place ing infants, was foraging there on the first two days.The on 7 July, 2 d after the vultures had consumeda dead area was strewn with large pieces of bark and fallen horse.At 0737 H an adult was again perched low at the branches. On the last 2 d, fewer capuchinswere present, edge of a morichal. It was raining hard (1000 H) when but were seen with a pair of red-howler monkeys (Al- I found the adult foraging under the only fruiting mor- ouatta seniculus). I found no remains of carrion. lche in the area. The bird flushed upon seeing me, but On 8June 1996 at 0913 H, 4 d after the vultures had then returned to the morichal again, weavingin and out eaten livestockcarrion, I came upon two adult King Vul- of the vegetationand foraging on the ground asI tracked tures and an immature resting on a low shrub at the edge it for ca. 90 min. Moriche fruits were present in the areas of a morichal and next to a fruiting moriche palm. Three where the bird had foraged. I found no carrion or live American Black Vultures were feeding on the ground at animals.
Recommended publications
  • Amazing Facts the King Vulture Is the Only Surviving Member of the Genus Sarcoramphus

    Amazing Facts the King Vulture Is the Only Surviving Member of the Genus Sarcoramphus

    King Vulture Sarcoramphus papa Bird Scientific Name Sarcoramphus papa Other Names None Range South and Central America from Mexico to northern Argentina Habitat Savannas, tropical forests and grasslands Description A large, white vulture with grayish-black wings and tail feathers, and a pronounced skin flap (caruncle) on the upper beak. The head and neck are bald with the skin color varying in Behavior color including yellow, orange, blue, purple, These birds are diurnal, spending their daytime hours soaring high in and red. the sky on thermals searching for food using keen eyesight. They are Average Size considered resident birds that are non-migratory and maintain a set Height: 20 in. home range. King Vultures are often seen alone or in small family groups Wingspan: 5.5 – 6.5 ft. numbering approximately 15 individuals, and will tolerate other animals and Weight: 6 – 10 lbs. vulture species in the same proximity. Even though they are the dominant vulture at the feeding site and usually the first to arrive, they are not Lifespan territorial with the smaller vultures that feed alongside them. In the wild: Estimated at 25 years The head and neck of the King Vulture lack feathers to help prevent In captivity: Up to 35 years infections and to keep the remains of the carcass from damaging the feathers. After eating, Vultures relax in the sun and allow the heat to bake Diet off the bacteria. In the wild: Carrion In captivity: Rodents, fish and prepared meat Reproduction and Breeding Incubation There is limited information on wild courtship and breeding of this species, 53 – 58 days but because they breed well in captivity, there is reliable data from numerous captive settings.
  • GROWING Mauritia Flexuosa in PALM BEACH COUNTY

    GROWING Mauritia Flexuosa in PALM BEACH COUNTY

    GROWING Mauritia flexuosa IN PALM BEACH COUNTY Submitted by Charlie Beck Mauritia flexuosa is a very large palm with deeply segmented palmate leaves and rounded petioles. In habitat, this dioecious palm grows 15 foot wide leaves on petioles 30 feet long. The stems can reach 80 feet tall. Its natural range is wet areas in Northern South America east of the Andes and also reaching into Trinidad. It usually grows in permanently swampy areas. This palm provides food and nesting sites for Macaws (See photo on back cover). Fish, turtles, tortoises, agoutis, peccares, deer, pacas, and iguanas also eat its fruit. I recently attended a meeting of the South Florida Palm Society and it was mentioned that Mauritia did not grow in South Florida. I knew the speaker was not aware of the fine specimens growing at Richard Moyroud’s Mesozoic Landscapes Nursery in Palm Beach County. The nursery is located near Hypoluxo Road west of Rt. 441 – not considered a warm location. I saw these palms planted at his nursery several years ago when I went out there to purchase some native plants. I heard reports that Richard’s Mauritia palms survived our record cold winter, so I called Richard to get a status report. He invited me to come out to the nursery to see for myself. He has specimens growing in the nursery and in a private 3 acre swamp garden located behind the Mauritia flexuosa planted in Richard nursery which is off limits to his customers. This was a rare Moyroud’s garden opportunity to have Richard lead me on a tour of his swamp garden.
  • Species List for Svalbard Birds and Mammals

    Species List for Svalbard Birds and Mammals

    Falkland Islands Circumnavigation – A South Atlantic bird & wildlife spectacle Falkland Islands There is no other groups of islands in the entire Atlantic Ocean which allows fairly easy access to such a diversity of spectacular bird species under such a mild climate and with such a variety of marine mammals thrown in. The Falkland Islands are known to most people today more for their recent political history than their natural history. And even to many nature lovers, the Falklands are often seen as secondary compared to the neighbouring Antarctica and South Georgia. This voyage aims to set the record straight: The Falkland Islands are worth every minute of a two-week circumnavigation, and they will provide us with a long string of wonderful encounters with penguins (4-5 species), albatrosses, cormorants, ducks and geese, raptors, shore birds, song birds and more – as well as seals and sea lions, whales and dolphins. We will see a variety of the islands’ unique landscapes of rolling hills, stone runs, rugged shorelines, pristine white beaches and lush giant kelp beds. We will see the endemic bird species and several near-endemic ones as well, and we intend to visit the southern hemisphere’s largest albatross colony on Steeple Jason. There will be time enough to allow for prolonged visits to the most magnificent of the sites during the best of the weather conditions. The group will be small enough to allow for great flexibility and individual attention. Tour Description Dates: December 3 - 17, 2016. Price: Starting at US$ 8.500,- Group size: Minimum 8, maximum 11.
  • Provisional List of Birds of the Rio Tahuauyo Areas, Loreto, Peru

    Provisional List of Birds of the Rio Tahuauyo Areas, Loreto, Peru

    Provisional List of Birds of the Rio Tahuauyo areas, Loreto, Peru Compiled by Carol R. Foss, Ph.D. and Josias Tello Huanaquiri, Guide Status based on expeditions from Tahuayo Logde and Amazonia Research Center TINAMIFORMES: Tinamidae 1. Great Tinamou Tinamus major 2. White- throated Tinamou Tinamus guttatus 3. Cinereous Tinamou Crypturellus cinereus 4. Little Tinamou Crypturellus soui 5. Undulated Tinamou Crypturellus undulates 6. Variegated Tinamou Crypturellus variegatus 7. Bartlett’s Tinamou Crypturellus bartletti ANSERIFORMES: Anhimidae 8. Horned Screamer Anhima cornuta ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae 9. Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata 10. Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 11. Masked Duck Nomonyx dominicus GALLIFORMES: Cracidae 12. Spix’s Guan Penelope jacquacu 13. Blue-throated Piping-Guan Pipile cumanensis 14. Speckled Chachalaca Ortalis guttata 15. Wattled Curassow Crax globulosa 16. Razor-billed Curassow Mitu tuberosum GALLIFORMES: Odontophoridae 17. Marbled Wood-Quall Odontophorus gujanensis 18. Starred Wood-Quall Odontophorus stellatus PELECANIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae 19. Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus PELECANIFORMES: Anhingidae 20. Anhinga Anhinga anhinga CICONIIFORMES: Ardeidae 21. Rufescent Tiger-Heron Tigrisoma lineatum 22. Agami Heron Agamia agami 23. Boat-billed Heron Cochlearius cochlearius 24. Zigzag Heron Zebrilus undulatus 25. Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 26. Striated Heron Butorides striata 27. Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 28. Cocoi Heron Ardea cocoi 29. Great Egret Ardea alba 30. Cappet Heron Pilherodius pileatus 31. Snowy Egret Egretta thula 32. Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea CICONIIFORMES: Threskiornithidae 33. Green Ibis Mesembrinibis cayennensis 34. Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja CICONIIFORMES: Ciconiidae 35. Jabiru Jabiru mycteria 36. Wood Stork Mycteria Americana CICONIIFORMES: Cathartidae 37. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 38. Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture Cathartes burrovianus 39.
  • A Condor from the Upper Pliocene of Kansas

    A Condor from the Upper Pliocene of Kansas

    338 Vol. 61 A CONDOR FROM THE UPPER PLIOCENE OF KANSAS By HARRISON B. TORDOFF Until recently, vulture remains were absent from the collection of several hundred fossil avian bones collected over the past twenty years by Claude W. Hibbard and his associatesin Kansas. This gap in the otherwise fairly complete Rexroad avifauna of the Upper Pliocene was filled in the summer of 1958, when Hibbard’s party found a tarso- metatarsus in nearly perfect condition. The bone is that of an undescribed American vulture which was larger than a modern King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) but smaller than a California Condor (Gymnogyps californa'anus). The fossil and Recent speciesof the Cathartidae are well known through the careful work of Loye Miller, Hildegarde Howard, and Harvey I. Fisher, whose researchesprovide a sound basis for study of this new vulture. The Rexroad speciesappears to parallel Teratornis merriami in some respects.Never- theless, it clearly belongs to the Cathartidae rather than to the Teratornithidae because it has the following distinctively cathartid characteristics (Miller and Howard, 1938: 169) : Facet for metatarsal I faces posterolaterally rather than posteriorly as in Terator- nithidae; intercotylar tuberosity high and conspicuous, not low and rounded; hypo- tarsal block not as symmetrically quadrangular as in Teratornithidae and separated from head of tarsometatarsus by a narrow groove, rather than by a broad, smooth de- pression; excavation of shaft on anterior face below head deep and sharply vaulted proximally, instead of blending into head as in Teratornithidae (Cathartes, however, re- sembles the Teratornithidae in this respect, rather than its relatives in the Cathartidae).
  • Olfactory Sensitivity of the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes Aura) to Three Carrion-Associated Odorants

    Olfactory Sensitivity of the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes Aura) to Three Carrion-Associated Odorants

    OLFACTORY SENSITIVITY OF THE TURKEY VULTURE (CATHARTES AURA) TO THREE CARRION-ASSOCIATED ODORANTS STEVEN A. SMITH • AND RICHARD A. PASELK Departmentsof BiologicalSciences and Chemistry, Humboldt State University, Arcata,California 95523 USA ABSTRACT.--TheTurkey Vulture (Cathartesaura) is generally thought to rely on olfactory cuesto locate carrion. Becausevertically rising odorantsare dispersedrapidly by wind tur- bulence, we predict that Turkey Vultures should be highly sensitive to these chemicalsto detect them at foraging altitudes. Olfactory thresholdsto three by-productsof animal decomposition(1 x 10-6 M for buta- noic acid and ethanethiol, and 1 x 10-5 M for trimethylamine) were determined from heart- rate responses.These relatively high thresholds indicate that these odorantsare probably not cuesfor foraging Turkey Vultures. Odorant thresholds,food habits of Turkey Vultures, and the theoretical properties of odorant dispersion cast some doubt on the general impor- tanceof olfaction in food locationby this species.Received 23 September1985, accepted 3 March 1986. THEsensory modality by which Turkey Vul- Companydiscovered that natural gas leaks could tures (Cathartes aura) locate carrion has been be tracedby injectingethanethiol into gaslines debatedby naturalistsfor nearly 140 years(see and patrolling the lines for Turkey Vultures Stager1964 for review). Most of the controver- that, ostensibly,were attractedto the metcap- sy concernedwhether olfaction or vision was tan (Stager 1964). Stager (1964: 56) concluded the more important sense,although other the- from anatomical examinations and field tests ories included an "occult" sense (Beck 1920), that the Turkey Vulture "possessesand utilizes the noiseof carrion-eatingrodents, or the noise a well developedolfactory food locatingmech- of carrion-eatinginsects (Taber 1928, Darling- anism." ton 1930) as attractingTurkey Vultures to their If Turkey Vulturesrely on olfactorycues to prey.
  • Ornamental Garden Plants of the Guianas, Part 3

    Ornamental Garden Plants of the Guianas, Part 3

    ; Fig. 170. Solandra longiflora (Solanaceae). 7. Solanum Linnaeus Annual or perennial, armed or unarmed herbs, shrubs, vines or trees. Leaves alternate, simple or compound, sessile or petiolate. Inflorescence an axillary, extra-axillary or terminal raceme, cyme, corymb or panicle. Flowers regular, or sometimes irregular; calyx (4-) 5 (-10)- toothed; corolla rotate, 5 (-6)-lobed. Stamens 5, exserted; anthers united over the style, dehiscing by 2 apical pores. Fruit a 2-celled berry; seeds numerous, reniform. Key to Species 1. Trees or shrubs; stems armed with spines; leaves simple or lobed, not pinnately compound; inflorescence a raceme 1. S. macranthum 1. Vines; stems unarmed; leaves pinnately compound; inflorescence a panicle 2. S. seaforthianum 1. Solanum macranthum Dunal, Solanorum Generumque Affinium Synopsis 43 (1816). AARDAPPELBOOM (Surinam); POTATO TREE. Shrub or tree to 9 m; stems and leaves spiny, pubescent. Leaves simple, toothed or up to 10-lobed, to 40 cm. Inflorescence a 7- to 12-flowered raceme. Corolla 5- or 6-lobed, bluish-purple, to 6.3 cm wide. Range: Brazil. Grown as an ornamental in Surinam (Ostendorf, 1962). 2. Solanum seaforthianum Andrews, Botanists Repository 8(104): t.504 (1808). POTATO CREEPER. Vine to 6 m, with petiole-tendrils; stems and leaves unarmed, glabrous. Leaves pinnately compound with 3-9 leaflets, to 20 cm. Inflorescence a many- flowered panicle. Corolla 5-lobed, blue, purple or pinkish, to 5 cm wide. Range:South America. Grown as an ornamental in Surinam (Ostendorf, 1962). Sterculiaceae Monoecious, dioecious or polygamous trees and shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple to palmately compound, petiolate. Inflorescence an axillary panicle, raceme, cyme or thyrse.
  • Greater Yellow&Hyphen;Headed Vulture &Lpar;&lt;I&gt;Cathartes

    Greater Yellow&Hyphen;Headed Vulture &Lpar;<I>Cathartes

    38 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS VOL. 26, NO. 1 j RaptorRes. 26(1):38-39 ¸ 1992 The Raptor ResearchFoundation, Inc. GREATER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE ( Cathartesrnelarnbrotus) LOCATES FOOD BY OLFACTION GARY R. GRAVES Departmentof VertebrateZoology, National Museum of Natural History, SmithsonianInstitution, Washington, DC 20560 Turkey Vultures (Cathartesaura) and LesserYellow- (6-8 m) was exceedinglydense, the carcasscould not be headed Vultures (Cathartesburrovianus) have acute senses observedfrom the air. Presumably,the vulture landedon of smell(Stager 1964, Houston1986, 1988). Althoughthe the trail and approachedthe carcass,some 10 m from the olfactorycapacities of the Greater Yellow-headedVulture trail edge, on foot. (C. melambrotus)are unknown, they are thought to be On another occasion,a pair of Greater Yellow-headed similar to thoseof its congeners(Houston 1988). Here I Vultures discovereda cacheof day-old flesh from a large report observationsthat stronglysuggest the use of smell museum specimenof the Brazilian Porcupine (Coendou by this speciesto locatecarrion. Collectively,these data prehensilis)that had been dumped200 m from camp at indicate that acute olfaction is a shared derived character the end of a poorly marked trail. The fleshhad beenpartly of Catharteswithin the Cathartidae, as reflectedby the covered with leaf litter and was further obscured from large olfactory lobe (Bangs 1964, pers. observation). view by the canopyof tall (30 m) seasonallyflooded forest. I made daily observationsof vulture abundanceand The cachewas difficult for me to visually locatewhen I behavior on the east bank of the Rio Xingu (3ø39'S returned to the area, and in all likelihood, could not have 52ø22'W), 52 km SSW of Altamira, Patti, Brazil (Graves beenobserved by vulturesflying abovethe canopy.In both and Zusi 1990), from 14 August to 29 September 1986.
  • California Condor (Gymnogyps Californianus) 5-Year Review

    California Condor (Gymnogyps Californianus) 5-Year Review

    California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) 5-Year Review: Summary and Evaluation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Southwest Region June 2013 Acknowledgement: The Service gratefully acknowledges the commitment and efforts of the California Condor Recovery Program partners for their many on-going contributions towards condor recovery. Our partners were instrumental both in ensuring that we used the best available science to craft our analyses and recommendations in this 5-year review and in providing individual feedback that was used to refine this document. Photo Credit: Unless otherwise indicated, all photos, charts, and graphs are products of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Page | 2 5-YEAR REVIEW California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) I. GENERAL INFORMATION Purpose of 5-Year Reviews: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is required by section 4(c)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act) to conduct a status review of each listed species at least once every 5 years. The purpose of a 5-year review is to evaluate whether or not the species’ status has changed since it was listed (or since the most recent 5-year review). Based on the 5- year review, we recommend whether the species should be removed from the Lists of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife, changed in status from endangered to threatened, or changed in status from threatened to endangered. Our original listing as endangered or threatened is based on the species’ status considering the five threat factors described in section 4(a)(1) of the Act. These same five factors are considered in any subsequent reclassification or delisting decisions.
  • Self-Injurious Behavior of a Captive Coragyps Atratus

    Self-Injurious Behavior of a Captive Coragyps Atratus

    The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal (URJ) Volume 11 Issue 1 Article 5 2020 Self-Injurious Behavior of a Captive Coragyps atratus Jennifer Bouchenot University of Central Florida Part of the Zoology Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/urj University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Office of Undergraduate Research at STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal (URJ) by an authorized editor of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recommended Citation Bouchenot, Jennifer (2020) "Self-Injurious Behavior of a Captive Coragyps atratus," The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal (URJ): Vol. 11 : Iss. 1 , Article 5. Available at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/urj/vol11/iss1/5 Bouchenot: Self-Injurious Behavior of a Captive Coragyps atratus Published Vol. 11.1: 38-44 July 25, 2019 THE PEGASUS REVIEW: UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH JOURNAL Self-Injurious Behavior of a Captive Coragyps atratus By: Jennifer Bouchenot Faculty Mentor: Frank Logiudice UCF Department of Biology ABSTRACT: As zoos become more numerous the challenge for keepers to ensure animal well-being and identify adverse behaviors becomes immense. Intelligent animals in captivity have a higher likelihood of participating in selfharm activities compared to their wild counterparts. Feather picking in birds is one such adverse behavior characterized by the individual breaking or removing feathers and, in severe cases, excision of the skin. This behavior increases the susceptibility to sickness and infection. In this study, a feather-picking captive Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) was observed preening, resting, and displaying self-mutilating behavior.
  • Parrot Nesting in Southeastern Peru: Seasonal Patterns and Keystone Trees

    Parrot Nesting in Southeastern Peru: Seasonal Patterns and Keystone Trees

    WILSON BULLETIN Thursday Jul 14 2005 09:25 AM wils 117_309 Mp_296 Allen Press x DTPro System GALLEY File # 09TQ Wilson Bulletin 117(3):296±305, 2005 PARROT NESTING IN SOUTHEASTERN PERU: SEASONAL PATTERNS AND KEYSTONE TREES DONALD J. BRIGHTSMITH1 ABSTRACT.ÐParrots that inhabit tropical lowland forests are dif®cult to study, are poorly known, and little information is available on their nesting habits, making analysis of community-wide nesting patterns dif®cult. I present here, nesting records for 15 species of psittacids that co-occur in southeastern Peru. The psittacid breeding season in this area lasted from June to April, with smaller species nesting earlier than larger species. Why smaller species bred earlier is uncertain, though it may be related to interspeci®c competition for nest sites or variations in food availability. This study identi®ed two keystone plant resources used by nesting parrots: Dip- teryx micrantha (Fabaceae) and Mauritia ¯exuosa (Arecaceae). Local threats to these plant species are discussed. Received 25 August 2003, accepted 14 April 2005. Nesting is a critically important stage in the est areas shrink, conservationists must priori- natural history of all bird species. Reproduc- tize their conservation efforts. Large, old trees tive failure has caused numerous conservation and the cavities they contain are vital for the crises, so knowledge of nesting habits is crit- persistence of many cavity-nesting birds ical (Ratcliffe 1967, Herkert et al. 2003). The (Mawson and Long 1994, Poulsen 2002). nesting ecology of many tropical species re- However, cavity nesters usually do not use mains poorly documented, especially for can- trees in proportion to their abundance, sug- opy nesters in dense, lowland tropical forests.
  • Mexican Eagles by Susan Heath Have You Seen a Mexican Eagle? If You Live Along the Texas Coast Chances Are You Have, Even If

    Mexican Eagles by Susan Heath Have You Seen a Mexican Eagle? If You Live Along the Texas Coast Chances Are You Have, Even If

    Mexican Eagles By Susan Heath Have you seen a Mexican Eagle? If you live along the Texas coast chances are you have, even if you didn’t realize it. “Mexican Eagle” is a colloquial name for the Crested Caracara, which is a common bird along the coast and the south Texas brush country. They are less common in oaks and prairies area of the state, and not present at all in the west or panhandle. Their range is mostly in Mexico and Central America so we are lucky to have them here in Texas. The only other U.S. states with caracaras are Arizona and Florida. Caracaras look like hawks with a sharp bill and talons but they behave more like a vulture by feasting on carrion. In fact, they are actually a tropical falcon as their range implies. Although they are most easily seen eating roadkill with vultures, they will also take live prey. They are quite omnivorous in their diet and will wade in shallow water to catch fish, dig up turtle eggs with their strong feet, or follow farm tractors catching escaping animals. Often they fall back on following vultures to carcasses. They can’t open up a carcass by themselves though and must wait for a vulture or other raptor to do that for them. The Caracara’s body and wings are black but they are easy to recognize with a black cap and orange face set off by a white neck. Their legs are orange too and they are quite a handsome bird if you take the time to notice.